Mets-Braves preview

NEW YORK -- Completing an unlikely series sweep Sunday isn't going to change the Atlanta Braves' 2016 fortunes. But a third straight win over the New York Mets could put the defending National League champions in a gaping hole.

The Braves will look to sweep the Mets when the two National League East rivals face each other at Citi Field.

Atlanta stormed back from a three-run deficit on Saturday night for a stunning 4-3 win. Center fielder Ender Inciarte created the tiebreaking run in the eighth when he doubled, took third on a lineout by Jeff Francoeur after Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson casually tossed the ball to the infield and scored on a wild pitch 10 feet behind catcher Rene Rivera.

The win was the fourth straight for the Braves (22-46), tying a season high set under former manager Fredi Gonzalez from April 15 to April 19.

"We've been beat up pretty good this year," Francoeur said. "I think to see us right back and see what we're doing here says a lot about our team."

The injury-plagued Mets (36-31), meanwhile, are reeling after losing five of their last seven, all of which came against the sub-.500 Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers.

New York, which has three starting position players on the disabled list (first baseman Lucas Duda, third baseman David Wright and catcher Travis d'Arnaud), remained six games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East after the Nationals blew a late lead Saturday night and lost to the San Diego Padres 7-3.

"This is a tough one, with what's going on right now," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "With a bunch of guys down, you can't lose these kind of games. You've got to win these games. You've got to win these games that you have opportunities to win. When times are tough, these are big games to win."

Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom, pitching on his 28th birthday and on Father's Day for the first time as a Dad, will oppose Braves right-hander Julio Teheran.

DeGrom, whose son Jaxson was born in April, will be looking for his first win since April 30. He is 0-3 in his last eight starts despite a 3.47 ERA.

Teheran enters just 2-7 despite a 2.93 ERA. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last 11 starts, a stretch in which he is 2-5 with a 2.13 ERA.